The well-known plan for Chongming Island sets out a development strategy that preserves agro-land by limiting urban growth to eight dense, well contained, and transit-rich settlements.

The largest of these centers is at the eastern tip of the island, and its hinterland includes areas designated primarily for residential growth, and for which there is no clear model for development, and the 406 hectare Eco-Community Prototype proposes a model for how these peripheral areas should be developed.

In keeping with the overall island strategy, the existing ferry, rail, and road infrastructure is fully utilized to limit demand for private transportation, and regional-scaled commercial uses are located along major arterials. The Site that contains 10,000 residences is divided into six neighborhood ‘pods’, linked by transit, and separated by open space corridors that also serve as community gardens for local food production. Each pod is self-sufficient, with its own civic, education, and service center, all within a 10-minute walk from all parts of the cluster; and each rests on the four pillars of sustainable development – water, waste, and energy management, and mixed-use development.